Links to two reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (Scroll down for MEDIA 12-16-25 and scroll up for today’s LEBANON, GAZA, SYRIA and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 17  FCC chair is grilled by Senate Democrats. Reported by David Folkenflik | NPR  Democratic lawmakers confronted Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr at a hearing Wednesday, arguing that he was attempting to intimidate reporters and networks. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM DEC. 15  From ‘The Princess Bride’ to ‘Misery,’ Rob Reiner leaves a legacy of movie magic. Reported by Bob Mondello | NPR  Hollywood’s Rob Reiner made a virtue of virtuosity, directing such diverse hits as “When Harry Met Sally,” “Stand By Me,” “A Few Good Men,” “This Is Spinal Tap,” and “Misery.” Click HERE to listen and read.

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For today, links to three reports: from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-16-25 and for LEBANON and WEST BANK.) — MCM

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Seventeen Palestinians, including children, die as buildings collapse in Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Seventeen Palestinians, including four children, have died after buildings collapsed in the Gaza Strip due to the extreme cold, Al Jazeera reported, citing Civil Defence in Gaza. Click HERE for photos from previous days.

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U.S. looks for countries willing to send peacekeepers to Gaza to maintain peace. Reported by Daniel Estrin and Steve Inskeep | NPR  After a ceasefire that has lasted more than two months, the U.S. is pushing for a lasting peace in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM DEC. 16  Gaza families struggle to recover from days of torrential rains that killed 12 people, by Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The downpour dumped more than 150 milliliters (9 inches) of rain on some parts of Gaza over the past week, turned dirt lanes to mud and flooded tents in camps for displaced people. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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For today, links to two reports: from National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (Scroll down for LEBANON 12-14-25, and up or down for GAZA and WEST BANK.) — MCM

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UN peacekeeping mission winding down despite Israel violating ceasefire. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  UN peacekeepers in Lebanon face end of decades-old mission despite regular attacks by Israel breaking year-old ceasefire. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM DEC. 15  Western and Arab diplomats tour Lebanon-Israel border to observe Hezbollah disarmament efforts, by Bassem Mroue | AP  BEIRUT — Western and Arab diplomats toured an area along Lebanon’s border with Israel Monday where Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to two reports, both from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for WEST BANK 12-16-25 and scroll up for GAZA and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Israeli army arrests 40 Palestinians in West Bank raids. From Middle East Monitor. At least 40 Palestinians were rounded up by the Israeli army in military raids across the occupied West Bank, a prisoners’ rights group said today, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 16  Palestinian shot dead by illegal settler in occupied West Bank. From Middle East Monitor. A Palestinian was killed in a new attack by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Palestinian authorities said, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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Links to two reports and to an article of commentary — from Middle East Monitor and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for WEST BANK 12-13-25 and for GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Israeli settlers burn olive trees near Ramallah. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli settlers raided Burqa village, east of Ramallah, on Monday evening and set fire to several olive trees. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli premier storms Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate Jewish Hanukkah holiday, by Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem today to celebrate the Jewish Hanukkah holiday. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu: I am the law, and Israel is Über alles. When leaders treat accountability as optional, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  When a leader insists on operating as though the rules did not apply to him, it isn’t simply an affront to a set of abstractions. READ MORE . . . 

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Links to two reports and to an article of commentary — from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-15-25 and up or down for WEST BANK, UKRAINE and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Hamas rejects foreign presence in Gaza, says ISF to ‘only monitor border.’ From the Cradle. A senior Hamas official said today Palestinians will be responsible for security in post-war Gaza, as Washington continues to struggle to assemble the International Stabilization Force envisioned in U.S. President Donald Trump’s “peace plan.” READ MORE . . . 

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FROM DEC. 15  Trump says U.S. to investigate Israel’s assassination of Hamas official as ceasefire, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The U.S. is examining whether Israel violated a Gaza ceasefire by assassinating a senior Hamas official, President Donald Trump said on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu: I am the law, and Israel is Über alles. When leaders treat accountability as optional, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  When a leader insists on operating as though the rules did not apply to him, it isn’t simply an affront to a set of abstractions. READ MORE . . . 

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Links to five reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 12-15-25 and up or down for WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Europe launches international commission for Ukraine war damages, by Anthony Deutsch and Stephanie van den Berg | Reuters  THE HAGUE — Europe launched an International Claims Commission for Ukraine today in an effort to ensure Kyiv is compensated for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy says proposals to end the war in Ukraine could be presented to Russia within days, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says proposals being negotiated with U.S. officials for a deal to end the fighting in Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion of his country could be finalized within days, after which American envoys will present them to the Kremlin before possible further meetings in the U.S. next weekend. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Zelensky says Russia continues to demand all of Donbas, adding that Ukraine will not withdraw, by Oleksiy Sorokin | The Kyiv Independent  President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian negotiations position “has not changed yet,” and that “they want our Donbas. And we do not want to give away our Donbas.” READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate Novoplatonovka in Kharkov Region over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated the community of Novoplatonovka in the Kharkov Region over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Moscow to assess EU leaders’ statement on guarantees to Kiev once it sees text — Kremlin. From Tass. MOSCOW — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had seen only media reports about the joint statement by EU leaders on security guarantees for Kiev. READ MORE . . .

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Links to an article of commentary from ScheerPost and to a report from Ken Klippenstein on Substack; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for MEDIA 12-15-25, and scroll up for WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 13  Trump’s ‘end of history’ moment, by Patrick Lawrence | Original to ScheerPost  As of last weekend we know how Pam Bondi, Trump’s patently fascistic AG, intends to interpret National Security Presidential Memorandum 7. This is by way of a Justice Department memorandum Ken Klippenstein, the exemplary investigative journalist, reported on. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Dec. 6 report from Ken Klipperstein titled “Trump’s Enemies List Meets Media Blackout.”

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For today, a link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (Scroll down for SYRIA 12-13-25 and for today’s GAZA, MEDIA, UKRAINE and COVID ETC,.) — MCM

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Israeli military expansion in Syria raises tensions as they carve out a buffer zone, by Kareem Chehayeb | AP  BEIRUT — An Israeli army raid last month in the village of Beit Jin in southwestern Syria and similar recent Israeli actions inside the country have increased tensions, frustrated locals and also scuttled chances — despite U.S. pressure — of any imminent thaw in relations between the two neighbors. Click HERE for report, a map and photos.

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For today, a link to an article of commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-14-25 and for SYRIA, UKRAINE, MEDIA and COVID ETC..) — MCM

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In Gaza’s ruins, winter storms become a fight for survival, by Tasnim Nazeer | Middle East Monitor  Winter has arrived in Gaza not as a change of season, but as a new and deadly phase of suffering. READ MORE . . .

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